


late night chats

by Herbluvsdan



Category: Re-Animator (1985)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-15
Updated: 2015-08-15
Packaged: 2018-04-14 21:25:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4580673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Herbluvsdan/pseuds/Herbluvsdan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dan and Herbert sit in bed in the middle of the night as they both come to terms with their relationship in full.</p>
            </blockquote>





	late night chats

_"I love you"_ wasn't in Herbert West's vocabulary. It was the first thing Daniel Cain learned when he and Herbert had first began.. whatever it was they had now. Herbert always called Dan his 'companion' so that's what Dan had went with; he always went with what Herbert said. Herbert showed affection in other ways, though, stranger ways. For one, he wasn't as awful as usual. He wasn't as cold and calculating. He seemed to actually.. care.. for Dan. He had also become more touchy-feely than usual. It wasn't sexual or anything with such connotation, it was just absent-minded touching and physical closeness. He had also begun to open up. In the weeks following the Miskatonic massacre, Dan had learned more about Herbert than he ever thought the man would divulge. These small acts were just Herbert's way of showing Dan that he could feel affection, too; after all, he wasn't one to ever say 'I love you'.

That's why it was so off-putting the first time he said it.

It was sudden, and almost unnoticed. They were in bed, half past midnight, and just as soon as he came, he shouted it, "Oh God, Dan, I love you!". When they were lying in bed, trying to sleep, was when Dan had brought it up.  
"You said you loved me," he said, voice low and tired.  
There was a pause. "Did I?"  
"Yeah. You said 'Dan, I love you,' when we were together."  
"Oh. Alright." was Herbert's only response. It frustrated Dan greatly to see him so unaffected, and yet he wasn't surprised.  
"Did you mean it, though? Do you really love me?" Dan asked persistently, sitting up in bed and looking down at Herbert. He too sat up, holding the covers to his chest and squinting.  
"Well, Dan.. I, uh.." He wasn't sure how to answer. Did he love Dan?  
"Herbert?"  
"Well, we've certainly gotten this far, haven't we?"

It wasn't a complete answer. This Herbert knew. He didn't like to answer until he was comfortable with it, and with Dan trying to force out a definitive yes or no at one in the morning, Herbert was discontent to say the least. He wasn't sure, that was the problem. He knew he desired Dan. Knew he had been pining for him ever since they'd met. He knew also just how jealous he became when he saw Dan with just about anyone else. Maybe those were signs that he was in love.

Dan furrowed his eyebrows. "That doesn't make sense." He wanted a straight answer. He wasn't quite sure either if he himself loved Herbert, but he knew he was pretty close. He had trouble determining his feelings for his companion, but he knew that he wouldn't be fucking him so often if he didn't have some form of love for him.

"I know." Herbert began, his voice a whisper. "It's just a bit of a sudden question to be asking at whatever past midnight."  
"I just wanna know," Dan said, drawing Herbert near to him. "I mean, if you don't mean it, I won't be.. You know."  
Herbert allowed himself to be pulled closer. "I know. I know." Herbert knew all right. He knew that Dan would absolutely be hurt. He was a man who needed that kind of affection. "I'm simply unsure."  
"Unsure?"  
"Yes."  
"Well, I mean, you're the one who said it."  
"Yes, I suppose so."  
"I just wanna know if you meant it is all."  
"If I said it, I suppose.. I did mean it." The words came out slowly, dripping with realization. It struck Herbert that the feelings of love he had, they were the first he'd ever really felt.  
"So you do love me?"  
"Yeah. I love you." It came out borderline monotone.  
"That didn't sound very convincing, Herbert," Dan said, his voice growing louder.  
"What, you want it with more feeling? I think there was plenty feeling in it when I said it after sex."  
"Well, we're not having sex right now, Herbert."  
"We could be, though. You seem so tense that perhaps we should be."

Dan laid back down in bed, sighing as he did. "I don't know about that, Herbert." Herbert moved to lean over Dan, his hand resting on Dan's side. "Why not?"  
"Well, for one, I'm tired. Not to mention that we just did it an hour ago. Not even, really."  
Herbert gazed into Dan's eyes and then gave an abrupt hum, laying back down beside Dan. "Very well."  
Dan sighed. "..Herbert..?" he asked after a long period of silence.  
"Yes, Dan?" Herbert replied tiredly, with a slight sigh.  
"What are we?"  
"This isn't the best time for an existential crisis, Dan."  
"Herbert, you know what I'm asking."  
He was right. Herbert did know. _Damn it,_ Herbert thought. Dan was always so pushy. Couldn't he leave things the way they were?  
"We're companions. I've told you this before, have I not?"  
"I don't know. Who says companions anymore?"  
"What do you want from me, Daniel? We're boyfriends, if it pleases you. Two men of similar age engaged in a romantic and sexual relationship. We're companions."  
And for a long time, Dan pondered that. Deep into the silent night, they had mostly figured it out. Or, perhaps, Dan finally did. He sighed, unsure if Herbert had finally fallen asleep.  
"..Herbert..?"  
"Yes, Dan?"  
"..I love you."  
Herbert paused, unsure. He drew in a quick breath. "I love you too, Dan." It was full of feeling, and it pleased Dan. It wasn't long before they were both lulled into a soft sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> so like. this is my first ever published fanfic. exciting. pleeease bear with me while i dick around so i can get a feel for the website. also, im sorry its so short! the writing mojo was not with me today.


End file.
